Dear Editor, John Bruton’s article (‘Brexit and the future of the European project’ IC 30/06/2016) made an impressive case of explaining popular disenchantment with the European project, and effectively refuted the common line that, for instance, the EU is torturing and impoverishing Greece, persuasively arguing that if anything the EU is helping that struggling country.…

Dear Editor, The measure of how just, how equal, we are as a society is surely how we care for the most vulnerable among us. How should we apply this measure to the proposal being pushed by most media since the election, the repeal of the Eighth Amendment? It’s pretty odd that people want a…

Dear Editor, With reference to Anne McGrath’s letter re media bias (IC 23/06/2016), this bias is evident not only in relation to issues with a religious dimension such as abortion but in relation to a range of social issues. While I still buy newspapers on weekends, I’ve almost given up buying them on weekdays because…

Dear Editor, Despite support for continued EU membership in London and Liverpool, the recent Brexit vote seems to suggest a huge gap between English Catholics and Church leaders. Polls show that almost 60% of voters who self-identify as Christians voted to leave the EU, strikingly disproportionate to the 52% of the general population who did…

Dear Editor, The call for a referendum, presumably to legislate in favour of abortion and to repeal the Eighth Amendment of the Constitution, is based on a flaw. The Republic of Ireland despite its constitutional provisions of equality between the unborn and (with due regard) the mother, does in fact permit abortion. Abortion is permitted…

Dear Editor, I had a delayed reaction to the article ‘Baptism: A golden opportunity’ (IC 02/06/2016). The article makes good points about connecting anew with those present at the ceremony who may or may not be practicing. Its primary view of baptism is that it initiates a life-long process of “obtaining the image of Jesus”.…

Dear Editor, The letter you published from Henry Quirke (IC 16/06/2016)) is very unfair to Mary Stewart. She did not “demonise” Ken Curtin, or accuse him of “condoning murder”. She simply pointed out that Mr Curtin should not have been surprised at the Church’s reaction (removing him from the rota of readers at Mass) to…

Dear Editor, Greg Daly’s report on the findings of the survey The Future of Ireland II:Belonging and Community (‘One-third of Irish adults active in local church’ IC 16/06/2016) is a surprisingly good news story for our Church, even if the survey highlights that there is a significant variation in the responses of younger and older…

Dear Editor, Shane Lehane goes too far in ‘Mass is not a performance that requires applause’ (IC 23/06/2016) when he says applause in Mass is both unacceptable and undignified. Clapping can get out of hand, but a po-faced determination to quash expressions of gratitude for our choirs and folk groups is hardly the way to…

Dear Editor, Bro. George Whyte’s letter on ‘Disorder and disrespect at services’ (IC 02/06/2016) is no exaggeration and provides a good example of what is happening presently in churches throughout the country. Congregational applause is another irreverent practice that I would like to highlight and which, I feel, is becoming increasingly prevalent particularly at weekend…